TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hospital Boosts Monitoring Of Psych Ward After Rape Report

ADVERTISEMENT

By VALERIE KALFRIN

vkalfrin@tampatrib.com

Published: February 13, 2009

TAMPA - St. Joseph's Hospital has installed an electronic monitoring system and a camera in its psychiatric ward to observe patients better after a state agency investigated a rape reported there in December, documents say.

The state Agency for Health Care Administration reviewed a Dec. 4 incident in which Tampa police accused a 39-year-old homeless man being treated in the psychiatric ward of raping a 32-year-old female psychiatric patient.

In a copy of a report made available today, the state agency said its investigation "confirmed" allegations that "the facility failed to prevent sexual contact between psychologically impaired patients."

Thomas Kelly Bolduc is charged with felony sexual battery and felony lewd or lascivious battery upon an elderly or disabled person, according to online court records. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held at Falkenburg Road Jail on $200,000 bail, records show.

Bolduc is accused of entering the woman's room across the hall from his during a 15-minute time frame between regular rounds. Police said he raped the woman on a bathroom floor, but Bolduc, in the state agency's report, says the sex was consensual.

"We were in the TV room, smiled at each other," he said in the report. "We have feelings for each other, so [she] agreed and then I did it but I am confused now. I don't know whether it happened or not."

To help the nursing staff watch the patients better, the hospital installed a camera in the ward's hallways and an electronic monitoring system to document the 15-minute checks on each patient's location, the report states.

"We truly did carefully review this situation and take action to create an even safer environment," hospital spokeswoman Lisa Patterson said.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT